Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: Unraveling Their Complicated Love Story

The Big Picture

Kim Kardashian's strategic relationships, including her marriages to Kris Humphries and Kanye West, have played a significant role in her rise to fame and influence.

The constant public scrutiny and the pressure of being in the spotlight had a detrimental effect on Kris Humphries. As a result, he made the decision to step away from basketball and find solace outside of the public eye. This clash between Kris Humphries' desire for privacy and Kim Kardashian's dedication to being a public figure ultimately led to the quick dissolution of their marriage.

Kim Kardashian has been widely recognized as the world's most influential figure. Her massive social media following and impact on the beauty, fashion, and pop culture industries make this assertion hard to dispute. Her status as a powerful influencer was solidified in 2018 when she received the CFDA Fashion Awards' inaugural Influencer Award. However, what wasn't mentioned during the award ceremony was that her brand was just as much defined by her strategically controversial relationships as it was by her iconic figure.

Seven years prior to receiving this prestigious honor, Kim Kardashian tied the knot with professional basketball player Kris Humphries. Astonishingly, their marriage lasted a mere 72 days before coming to an end, and Kim quickly moved on to what would become her most famous relationship to date: her union with rapper Kanye West. Following her split from Kris, Kim's life was filled with even more wealth, fame, and accolades, while Kris took a very different path.

Believing that Kim had exploited their love for her E! reality series, Kris sought an annulment. However, the aftermath of their relationship took its toll on Kris, leading to severe anxiety and depression. Ultimately, he made the difficult decision to retire from basketball much earlier than anticipated. The public scrutiny that followed his involvement with the reality TV star was overwhelming and caused him to turn his back on the game to find solace away from the spotlight. Kris candidly expressed the impact this had on his mental state, stating, "I used to be a confident and happy person, but nothing can prepare you for the constant intrusion in your daily life. Being approached by strangers on the street, at the grocery store, or even at the gas station, with cameras in your face and people trying to grab you, it's just not natural. It doesn't feel like real life." These experiences left Kris feeling like he no longer wanted to be himself, an incredibly unsettling and disorienting sensation.

Kim Kardashian Began Using Relationships Strategically with First Husband, Damon Thomas

Image via Hulu

Having a conversation with Kim's first ex-husband, Damon Thomas, could have prevented Kris from making one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Kim, who worked as a fashion stylist in LA, caught the attention of one of the music industry's biggest producers. Damon was a member of "The Underdogs," a renowned force in urban music during that time, known for working with artists like Mary J. Blige, Tyrese, and Chris Brown. Apart from the wealth and luxury, Damon had access to a celebrity lifestyle that Kim was not exposed to at that time.

Originally from a rural background, Damon openly admitted to being deeply in love with his attractive and youthful wife. However, four years later, their relationship came to an end. Damon's quote in In Touch Weekly after their divorce serves as a cautionary tale for future lovers. He stated, "Kim is overly fixated on fame. Since she lacks the ability to write, sing, or dance, she resorts to negative actions to seek validation in the media. That, to me, is the definition of a fame-seeker. It's simply not cool at all."

The relationship lasted three years with several breakups in between before being buried alongside Kim's list of famous past relationships, each one pushing her closer to her ultimate goal of being the most famous person in the world. Kim then went on to date Miles Austin, a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles for a stint and then hooked up with Halle Berry's gorgeous model baby Daddy Gabriel Aubrey. Kim was introduced to Kris by his teammate Jordan Farmar. By the time Kim connected with Kris Humphries in 2011, she was well aware of how the right man would allow her to dominate the blogs and connect with her fan base.

Years later, Damon's words proved eerily accurate when Kim's relationship with Ray J, an actor and singer, propelled her to fame after their sex tape spread like wildfire online, back when going viral wasn't even a thing. At that time, neither Kim nor Ray J were major stars, but the scandal thrust them both into the spotlight, and Kim was determined to remain there. After her relationship with Ray J fizzled out, Kim moved on to date Nick Lachey, who had recently divorced from Jessica Simpson, and Nick Cannon, a popular figure from Nickelodeon. Eventually, she was spotted with Reggie Bush, a star player for the San Francisco 49ers. Reggie's status as a franchise player ensured that Kim's name continued to make headlines in the tabloids and gossip columns, as the paparazzi couldn't get enough of their union. Besides being one of the best players in the league, Reggie was also the object of desire for numerous women who knew very little about football.

Kim Kardashian's Marriage to Kris Humphries Ended Sooner Than Skeptics Predicted

Image via Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0

Kris was immediately infatuated and proposed to the reality star after a whirlwind six months of dating. Their romantic engagement was showcased on the reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Even the challenges they faced in their relationship were captured on camera for Kourtney & Kim Take New York, another Kardashian spin-off produced by Ryan Seacrest. Fans eagerly watched each week to witness the dramas unfold in these relationships.

Kris's involvement set the relationship apart from previous partners. He was uncomfortable with having his entire life in the public eye and had no reservations about asserting himself and refusing what the Kar-Jenners' media empire demanded. On the other hand, Kim had long ago committed to sharing every aspect of her life for the sake of fame and fortune, which she desired above all else. The couple's wedding was televised in a special titled "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event." However, shortly after the wedding, Kim's behavior started mirroring the lyrics of Mya's 1998 hit single "Movin On."

Kris felt deceived and accused fraud as grounds for seeking an annulment. Meanwhile, Kim's legal documents cited irreconcilable differences. Later on her show, she opened up about her marriage and disclosed that her mother had advised her to "run" on her wedding day if necessary. The full extent of Kris and Kim's short-lived courtship and failed marriage may never be fully known to their supporters, but it is evident that their life paths were completely out of sync.

Kimye Takes Center Stage and Kim's Star Rises Post-Kanye

Image via E! Entertainment

Kim embarked on a notorious union with music and fashion legend Kanye West, while Kris opted to distance himself from the limelight and ventured into the world of business by opening a series of Five Guy franchises. Kim's affiliation with Kanye elevated their status as celebrities and granted them access to the fashion industry in a unique way. They even graced the cover of Vogue and went on to have four children. Consequently, Kim found acceptance in fashion circles that had previously rejected her, leveraging the West name to promote her various ventures in cosmetics, skincare, shapewear, and more. However, amidst Kanye's struggles with mental health and his reckless behavior that jeopardized their family life, she ultimately decided to seek a divorce.

Just ten months after the divorce filing, Kim swiftly entered a romantic relationship with the surprising choice of comedian Pete Davidson. Initially, Pete seemed unaware of the magnitude of Kim's public image, but a few months later, he ended the relationship due to speculation of anxiety and depression arising from the attention drawn by Kim's turbulent history with her ex-husband, Kanye.

Kim Kardashian's Commitment to Fame Outshined Any Love For Kris Humpries

Image via FX

Kim and Kris had different expectations for their marriage. While Kris believed in the traditional idea of a union between two people, Kim saw it as an opportunity to broaden her influence and reach millions of followers on social media and through her reality show. Many thought that Kim and Kanye's shared desire for fame would make them a perfect match. Although their relationship didn't last, it was one of Kim's longest and resulted in them having children together. While Kris was known for his athletic abilities, Kim's fame came from her constant pursuit of attention and popularity. These starkly contrasting motivations could only lead to conflict and it's probably for the best that their relationship ended after a short courtship and a brief, unhappy marriage.